Bicycles have been in use for many years throughout the world as a means of transportation for short trips, recreation, exercise and sports competition. In fact, even today, the bicycle is still the primary source of transportation in much of the world. Over the course of this century, the bicycle has evolved into a sleek, light-weight, fast and convenient means of transportation, capable of efficiently transferring energy from a bicycle rider's legs to wheels of the bicycle. Unfortunately, however, bicycle seats, or saddles, although much improved, have not evolved to provide the bicycle with a degree of comfort that is preferred.
Conventional bicycle seats include a "nose," or a portion that extends forward and is shaped to fit between a rider's legs. It has long been acknowledged that the nose of a bicycle seat is uncomfortable and tends to abrade the legs of a rider. In addition, recent medical studies have linked a higher incidence of impotency among men with long-term bicycle riding. One theory for the higher incidence of impotence is that the nose of a bicycle seat puts pressure on, and thus restricts blood circulation in, the crotch area of a bicycle rider. Thus, in addition to simply being uncomfortable, the nose of a bicycle seat may actually cause medical problems to some bicycle riders.
The nose of the seat, however, provides the rider with the ability to control the bicycle. In general, a rider controls the bicycle through the seat, handle bars and pedals. The nose of the seat facilitates orientation by the rider of his or her position on the seat and provides leverage for a rider's thighs for readjusting the rider's position and balancing the rider and the bicycle. Thus while the nose of the seat provides much of the discomfort associated with bicycle riding, the nose also provides much of the ability to control the bicycle.
The problem with prior attempts to improve the comfort of bicycle seats is that, while such seats may provide extraordinary comfort, they do not necessarily provide control or a sense of control. U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,705 to Terranova, for example, discloses a bicycle seat which does not include a nose, but is contoured for supporting engagement with a rider's buttocks. While the seat is apparently extraordinarily comfortable, it may not provide adequate control.
Accordingly, there remains a need to provide a bicycle seat that provides extraordinary comfort to a rider while adequately facilitating control of the bicycle by the rider.